1:4 Scale Spitfire Channel Crossing
Cross Channel Flight
On May 7th, 2012, Mike Booth made history by completing the first-ever solo crossing of the English Channel with a radio-controlled Spitfire, marking the 75th anniversary of the iconic prototype. Despite less-than-ideal weather conditions, Mike successfully piloted the Spitfire on a 40-mile journey from Calais-Dunkerque Airfield to Manston Airfield in Kent. His achievement was further highlighted by the precision of two large orbits over Pegwell Bay, executed while waiting for the camera plane to catch up. Unlike previous model crossings that required multiple pilots, Mike accomplished this remarkable feat single-handedly, taking off and landing from inside the chase plane—a Eurostar Ultralight expertly flown by Chris Trow, an instructor at Clench Common GS Aviation in Marlborough.